At this time last year, the Eastern wrestling program was on life support as the school board considered doing away with the program. A group of wrestlers and supporters rallied behind the program and the school board gave them a year to turn it around.

Now that she has a year as the head girls’ basketball coach at Lanesville under her belt, coach Maddie Richards feels more comfortable in the role, and thinks her players will, too. A strong junior class is returning this season, which will partly be called on to replace departing 2011 senior Ashley Schoen, who averaged 12 points per game last year, and also 9 rebounds per game, and approximately 2 assists per game. Richards called Schoen a “big time player,” and called it a big hole to fill. Schoen helped to lead her team to an 11-12 finish last year, and a second place in the Southern Athletic Conference.

Missy Voyles continues the trend among local schools of having familiar faces in head coaching positions in girls’ basketball. Except that she didn’t transfer from another area school, or formerly coach the boys’ team at North Harrison.